In a heartfelt letter on his blog, Clint Hocking, the main man behind Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory and Far Cry 2, explained yesterday why he's leaving the studio he's worked at for a decade, Ubisoft Montreal.

The full letter to fans and peers is a must-read, but if you're short on time, here is part of creative director Hocking's powerful sign-off:

I am too comfortable. I am too content. And I know where that can lead for me.

Fortunately, for the first time in my life, I know the way forward. The way forward lies in my having the courage that I did not know I had a decade ago to bid farewell to those tragically comforting habits. I need to walk on hot coals and sleep on a bed of nails. I need to chew on broken glass. I need to drink paint. This post has gotten long enough and I am still afraid to come to the point, but what I really need more than anything is to write these words;

I gave notice of my resignation to Ubisoft on Monday, April 26th, 2010.

Hocking's most recent game, Far Cry 2, was released in the fall of 2008. He's had no announced projects since then. No word on what that work might have entailed nor what he will be doing next.